When Costa Cruises resumes operations in September it will introduce COVID-19 testing for all embarking guests.
Costa Cruises Introduces Swab Testing On Board Ships
Costa Cruises has become the first cruise line to earn theย Biosafety Trust Certificationย fromย RINA, the over 150-year-old testing, inspection, certification, and ship classification company that developed the innovative management system certification program.
When the cruise line restarts operations starting with Costa Deliziosa from September 6 out of Triste, Italy all embarking guests will undergo an antigen COVID-19 swab test.
The test will be carried out during pre-boarding procedures which have been developed with guidance from relevant health authorities. If the test comes up with any suspicious cases guests may have to take a further PCR test to find out if they’ll be able to embark on the cruise ship.
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To obtain the certification, Costa Cruises has implemented specific training modules for the crew which has strict guidelines from health authorities. There needs to be a shipboard management system in place and health protocols not just on the cruise ship but in the terminal and during shore excursions.
The swab tests will also be used as other cruise ships have a phased-in return to service. At the moment the cruise line is restarting cruises from Italy only and they are reserved for Italian guests only. Costa Deliziosa will depart from Trieste every Sunday until September 27 and include calls to Bari, Brindisi, Corigliano-Rossano, Siracusa and Catania.
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Costa Diadema will be the next cruise ship to follow kicking off 7-day cruises from Genoa on September 19, 2020. The ship will sail the Western Mediterranean including calls in Civitavecchia/Rome,ย Naples, Palermo, Cagliari and La Spezia.
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